Difficult intravenous access in a paediatric intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple attempts during peripheral cannulation can have major consequences for patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals, therefore we set out to determine the extent of this problem in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). OBJECTIVES: The main aim was to describe peripheral venous catheter (PVC) and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) cannulation in children in the PICU. Secondary objectives were to determine the success rate of the first cannulation attempt, to quantify patients with difficult venous access (DVA), and to explore the association between DVA and sociodemographic, technique and nursing-related characteristics. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Consecutive sampling was used to recruit patients aged 0-18 years admitted to the PICU who required peripheral venous cannulation. An ad hoc questionnaire was used for this purpose, including the presence of DVA as an independent variable. RESULTS: A total of 163 venous cannulations were reported. A total of 55.8% (91) were performed in patients under 1 year of age. Of these, 38.7% (63) were successful on the first attempt and 36.8% (60) had DVA. When there was DVA, 85% (51) of patients had complications, median time to cannulation by short CVP was 30 minutes [15-53] and 2 or more nurses were required on 80% (48) of occasions. CONCLUSIONS: We found a low success rate at first attempt and a high proportion of DVA. More nurses and time were employed during cannulation and complications increased if the patient had DVA. A statistically significant association was found between DVA and age, weight, poor perfusion, veins that were neither visible nor palpable, DIVA score ≥ 4, history of difficult intravenous access, complications, number of nurses and time spent.

Vía venosa difícil en una unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos / Difficult intravenous access in a paediatric intensive care unit

Introducción: Los múltiples intentos durante la canalización periférica pueden producir importantes consecuencias que afectan a pacientes, familiares y profesionales, por ello se planteó la necesidad de conocer la dimensión de este problema en una unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos (UCIP).Objetivos: El objetivo principal fue describir la canalización de catéter venoso periférico y catéter central de inserción periférica en niños de UCIP. Como objetivos secundarios se propuso determinar la proporción de éxito en el primer intento de canalización, cuantificar los pacientes que presentan vía venosa difícil (VVD), así como explorar la asociación entre la aparición de la VVD y las características sociodemográficas, las relativas a la técnica y a las enfermeras.Método: Estudio descriptivo transversal. Mediante muestreo consecutivo se reclutaron pacientes entre 0 y 18 años ingresados en UCIP que precisaron canalización de acceso venoso periférico. Para ello se utilizó un cuestionario ad hoc incluyendo la presencia de VVD como variable independiente.Resultados: Se recogieron 163 canalizaciones venosas. El 55,8% (91) se realizaron en pacientes menores de 1 año. El 38,7% (63) acertó en el primer intento y el 36,8% (60) presentaron VVD. Cuando aparecía VVD el 85% (51) de los pacientes tuvieron complicaciones, la mediana de tiempo para la canalización mediante catéter venoso periférico corto fue de 30minutos [15-53] y se precisaron 2 o más enfermeras en el 80% (48) de las ocasiones.Conclusiones: Se encontró un bajo porcentaje de acierto al primer intento y una proporción elevada de VVD. Aparecía un mayor número de enfermeras y de tiempo empleado durante la canalización y un aumento de las complicaciones si el paciente presentaba VVD. Se encontró asociación estadísticamente significativa entre VVD y edad, peso, mala perfusión, vena no visible ni palpable, puntuación en la escala DIVA≥4, historia de VVD, complicaciones, número de enfermeras y tiempo empleado.

Introduction: Multiple attempts during peripheral cannulation can have major consequences for patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals, therefore we set out to determine the extent of this problem in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).Objectives: The main aim was to describe peripheral venous catheter (PVC) and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) cannulation in children in the PICU. Secondary objectives were to determine the success rate of the first cannulation attempt, to quantify patients with difficult venous access (DVA), and to explore the association between DVA and sociodemographic, technique and nursing-related characteristics.Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Consecutive sampling was used to recruit patients aged 0-18 years admitted to the PICU who required peripheral venous cannulation. An ad hoc questionnaire was used for this purpose, including the presence of DVA as an independent variable.Results: A total of 163 venous cannulations were reported. A total of 55.8% (91) were performed in patients under 1 year of age. Of these, 38.7% (63) were successful on the first attempt and 36.8% (60) had DVA. When there was DVA, 85% (51) of patients had complications, median time to cannulation by short CVP was 30minutes [15-53] and 2 or more nurses were required on 80% (48) of occasions.Conclusions: We found a low success rate at first attempt and a high proportion of DVA. More nurses and time were employed during cannulation and complications increased if the patient had DVA. A statistically significant association was found between DVA and age, weight, poor perfusion, veins that were neither visible nor palpable, DIVA score≥4, history of difficult intravenous access, complications, number of nurses and time spent.

Difficult intravenous access in a paediatric intensive care unit. / Vía venosa difícil en una unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple attempts during peripheral cannulation can have major consequences for patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals, therefore we set out to determine the extent of this problem in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). OBJECTIVES: The main aim was to describe peripheral venous catheter (PVC) and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) cannulation in children in the PICU. Secondary objectives were to determine the success rate of the first cannulation attempt, to quantify patients with difficult venous access (DVA), and to explore the association between DVA and sociodemographic, technique and nursing-related characteristics. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Consecutive sampling was used to recruit patients aged 0-18 years admitted to the PICU who required peripheral venous cannulation. An ad hoc questionnaire was used for this purpose, including the presence of DVA as an independent variable. RESULTS: A total of 163 venous cannulations were reported. A total of 55.8% (91) were performed in patients under 1 year of age. Of these, 38.7% (63) were successful on the first attempt and 36.8% (60) had DVA. When there was DVA, 85% (51) of patients had complications, median time to cannulation by short CVP was 30minutes [15-53] and 2 or more nurses were required on 80% (48) of occasions. CONCLUSIONS: We found a low success rate at first attempt and a high proportion of DVA. More nurses and time were employed during cannulation and complications increased if the patient had DVA. A statistically significant association was found between DVA and age, weight, poor perfusion, veins that were neither visible nor palpable, DIVA score≥4, history of difficult intravenous access, complications, number of nurses and time spent.